This disclosure relates to a coupling mechanism for removably securing a fan drive gear system module from the rest of the gas turbine engine.
A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section. The compressor section typically includes low and high pressure compressors, and the turbine section includes low and high pressure turbines.
The high pressure turbine drives the high pressure compressor through an outer shaft to form a high spool, and the low pressure turbine drives the low pressure compressor through an inner shaft to form a low spool. The fan section may also be driven by the low inner shaft. A direct drive gas turbine engine includes a fan section driven by the low spool such that the low pressure compressor, low pressure turbine and fan section rotate at a common speed in a common direction. One type of gas turbine engine uses a geared architecture between the turbine section and the fan section, which reduces the rotational speed of the fan section.
Turbine engine manufacturers, including those of geared gas turbine engines, continue to seek further improvements to engine performance and assembly including improvements to manufacture, maintainability, thermal, transfer, and propulsive efficiencies.